The Student Room Group

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Reply 1
I do!!!

Need to get extremely fit first tho:smile:
Reply 2
I'm female, which is a good thing, since they're always apparently after more women firefighters lol.

Re: fitness, eeek I know! I've really got to work on mine, too!
Reply 3
sheep!
Anyone else interested in becoming a Firefighter?

I'm going to apply to the LFB as soon as I've finished uni :smile:


Yeah and infact i'm applying to LFB at the moment!

Mark
Reply 4
mark1010
Yeah and infact i'm applying to LFB at the moment!

Mark


Wicked!

Although I thought they weren't recruiting at the moment?

How far along the process are you?
Reply 5
sheep!
Wicked!

Although I thought they weren't recruiting at the moment?

How far along the process are you?


This was from their last recruitment campaign.

I've passed the written tests and i'm off to do the shuttle run / bleep test / multi stage fitness test (or whatever its called this week) on the 18th at Southwark.

I think the physical tests after that scare me most!

Where are you from? London?

Mark
Reply 6
Just come back from an open day in Southwark Training Centre, where I had to do all parts of the fitness assesment... ouch, is all I have to say.

Hugely fun though, and it's totally made me realise that I would LOVE to be a firefighter!

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
Reply 7
mark1010
I've passed the written tests and i'm off to do the shuttle run / bleep test / multi stage fitness test (or whatever its called this week) on the 18th at Southwark.


You know what you've got to do don't you?

If you don't, let me know - I've just done all the fitness tests today, so PM me if you want to know anything! :biggrin:
Reply 8
sheep!
Just come back from an open day in Southwark Training Centre, where I had to do all parts of the fitness assesment... ouch, is all I have to say.

Hugely fun though, and it's totally made me realise that I would LOVE to be a firefighter!

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


What do you think was the hardest bit? I had a go at hose running with Royal Berks FRS and that was the most knackering thing i've ever done, especially since it was in firefighting kit - luckily its not part of the LFB physical!


Mark
Reply 9
mark1010
What do you think was the hardest bit? I had a go at hose running with Royal Berks FRS and that was the most knackering thing i've ever done, especially since it was in firefighting kit - luckily its not part of the LFB physical!


Mark


Hardest bit for me was the ladder lift (because I have shockingly little upper body strength) and the 100m 32kg barbell walk at the end of the equipment carry test, it's knackering!

There is a tiny bit of hose running - 25m at the start of the equipment carry test...but it's only 25m and once you've got over the initial lag it's alright :smile:
Reply 10
sheep!
Hardest bit for me was the ladder lift (because I have shockingly little upper body strength) and the 100m 32kg barbell walk at the end of the equipment carry test, it's knackering!

There is a tiny bit of hose running - 25m at the start of the equipment carry test...but it's only 25m and once you've got over the initial lag it's alright :smile:


As long as its not running out the hose and rolling it back up 5 times or whatever in like 6 minutes or something!

I'd to love to have a go at them before i have to do it for real, for peace of mind and all that! Where did you find out about this????

Mark
Reply 11
mark1010
As long as its not running out the hose and rolling it back up 5 times or whatever in like 6 minutes or something!

I'd to love to have a go at them before i have to do it for real, for peace of mind and all that! Where did you find out about this????

Mark


Lol, nope - they roll all the hose up for you, so no worries about that! hehe.

I put my name on a list at a recruitment fair in October, and randomly received a letter inviting me to today about 5 weeks later.

I think if you ring or e-mail the people at Southwark they might be able to sort something out for you... they are quite accomodating.

Just so long as your strength and CV fitness are fine, you will find the tests alright. And as long as you aren't claustrophobic, you'll be ok. :biggrin:
Reply 12
sheep!
Lol, nope - they roll all the hose up for you, so no worries about that! hehe.

I put my name on a list at a recruitment fair in October, and randomly received a letter inviting me to today about 5 weeks later.

I think if you ring or e-mail the people at Southwark they might be able to sort something out for you... they are quite accomodating.

Just so long as your strength and CV fitness are fine, you will find the tests alright. And as long as you aren't claustrophobic, you'll be ok. :biggrin:


haha but the problem is, what is fine? i'm pretty sure about my CV but not sure about my strength!
Reply 13
mark1010
haha but the problem is, what is fine? i'm pretty sure about my CV but not sure about my strength!


Well, you use upper body strength to lift a 25kg weight up to 9m off the floor in the ladder lift.

You use lower body + upper body to drag an 8st dummy 30m around a square course.

And then you use every bit of strength going to drag a hose, run, carry two 10kg rolled up hoses, then one hose on your chest, then a basket and a light hose, then more running, and more running, then carry a 32kg barbell weight up and down a 25m course.

It's tough, but I'd practice getting my upper body strength up - free weights are apparently better than machines (says the trainer guy today), and press ups and running... if you can bench press weights, you'll be ok I reckon.

Plus, boys are generally stronger than girls, so you'll probably not find it as tough as I did lol.
Reply 14
sheep!
Well, you use upper body strength to lift a 25kg weight up to 9m off the floor in the ladder lift.

You use lower body + upper body to drag an 8st dummy 30m around a square course.

And then you use every bit of strength going to drag a hose, run, carry two 10kg rolled up hoses, then one hose on your chest, then a basket and a light hose, then more running, and more running, then carry a 32kg barbell weight up and down a 25m course.

It's tough, but I'd practice getting my upper body strength up - free weights are apparently better than machines (says the trainer guy today), and press ups and running... if you can bench press weights, you'll be ok I reckon.

Plus, boys are generally stronger than girls, so you'll probably not find it as tough as I did lol.


Thanks for that, actually seeing some of the weights makes me feel a bit better!
Reply 15
holeysock
I do!!!

Need to get extremely fit first tho:smile:


Are you applying at the moment???

Mark
Reply 16
No

Ive been spending a long long time trying to figure out what it is I want to do with my life and I want to do something exciting and rewarding at the same time.

When I was about 8 years old I said I wanted to be a firefighter and its just dawned on me that it would be a great job for me (Im 27 now so its taken a bloody long time!!).

Anyway, Im gonna have to spend a good 6 months or so at the gym to get myself fit again before Im gonna apply.

Good luck to you guys tho. Please let me know how youre getting on & any advice would be welcome.

Lorna
Reply 17
holeysock
No

Ive been spending a long long time trying to figure out what it is I want to do with my life and I want to do something exciting and rewarding at the same time.

When I was about 8 years old I said I wanted to be a firefighter and its just dawned on me that it would be a great job for me (Im 27 now so its taken a bloody long time!!).

Anyway, Im gonna have to spend a good 6 months or so at the gym to get myself fit again before Im gonna apply.

Good luck to you guys tho. Please let me know how youre getting on & any advice would be welcome.

Lorna


Will do. I can't offer much advice as i'm not in yet, but really can only say keep at it and you'll get in one day. Do as much as you can to further your chances - i've heard figures of around 40 applicants for each position. I'll send you a PM with a really good website which will give you an idea about applying etc.

Mark

Mark
You guys should PM FiremanJohn.
He's a mature law student part time, and has been a firefighter (and still is while he studies) for years.
He's very helpful and I'm sure would have some useful answers to your questions :smile:
Reply 19
ellewoods
You guys should PM FiremanJohn.
He's a mature law student part time, and has been a firefighter (and still is while he studies) for years.
He's very helpful and I'm sure would have some useful answers to your questions :smile:



Thanks for that, might well do that! Any idea where he is a firefighter?

Mark